Swadlincote Heritage Trail No.1

Swadlincote Town Centre

Our trail takes you on a journey through the Town Centre’s past, sharing stories of some of our significant people, industries and buildings. It takes around 30 minutes to stroll around (plus stopping time). There is one main hill otherwise it is fairly flat. Steps are marked on the map.

Our Trail is also online at www.south-derbys.gov.uk/ HeritageTrails

Burton & South College are working on an App Please call in at The Magic Attic to find out more about local heritage and look out for their special events. Contact details on back of leaflet. Swadlincote Heritage Trail S2. Majestic Cinema P Photo copyright (unless stated otherwise): Majestic Place, 21 Alexandra SDDC—recent photos Road, Swadlincote DE11 9AZ Magic Attic Archives—historic photos (now a housing development)

Map—see central page

P = plaque L = lectern

S1. Edmund Sharpe c18–94 Sharpe’s Pottery Museum, P West St, Swadlincote DE11 9DG

Nothing remains of ‘The Majestic’ Cinema which opened on 15 May 1933. It was advertised as the ‘Majestic Super Cinema’. There were five dressing rooms, a 33 feet wide proscenium and a 25 feet deep stage. It was fitted with Photo: Sharpe’s CinemaScope in 1956, and the first Pottery Museum film to be shown in that format was “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” The youngest and most influential on 25 February 1956. In January brother at Sharpe’s Pottery (est 1957 the pantomime “Sinbad the 1821) was the patentee of a Sailor” was produced on the stage. successful variation of the “flushing The Majestic Cinema was closed in rim” for water closets in1855. the early 1960s and was converted Sharpe’s Pottery and Edmund’s into a bingo club. In the 1970s it enterprising personality were became Royall’s Theatre Club, driving factors behind Swadlincote’s which attracted stars like Tommy growth from a small hamlet to a Cooper and Arthur Askey. However, bustling town. due to financial difficulties the building became derelict and was demolished in 1984.

The land has been redeveloped for housing, but the cinema is

remembered in the name ‘Majestic Place’. In its time the Majestic showcased stars such as Max S4. Diana, Princess of Wales, P Bygraves and Larry Grayson (then Memorial Garden known as Billy Brean!). The Magic Attic has film clips of Grove Street DE11 8HL Manager John Avery and cinema guests. Main source: http:// cinematreasures.org/ theaters/45022

S3. The original ‘Magic Attic’ This site was dedicated as a at the Snooker Hall garden in 1981 by Chairman of the Council, Councillor Roy Nutt & 42-44 Grove Street, DE11 9DD HRH The Princess Anne. Before then it may have been the site of a clay hearth, part of Sharpe’s Pottery. Earlier still it was part of the garden at Grove House,

which extended over a much larger The Snooker Hall was originally a area than the garden does today. barn on the Sharpe family farm Diana, Princess of Wales, walked “The Grove” - which was through the garden on her visit to demolished in 1972. The raised Swadlincote on 16 Jan 1991. After brick coped gables are typical of her death buildings from the 18th century. in 1997, Later, the upper floor of the building memorial became the birthplace of The flowers Magic Attic, Swadlincote’s very own were laid local history group, started in 1987. here by The Magic Attic moved to Sharpe’s local Pottery Museum when it opened in people. 2002—see below: The garden has been transformed thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (Swadlincote Townscape Heritage Scheme, 2016-2018).

S5. Old Midland Co-op been demolished and the new building (current) building, Swadlincote's West Street Swadlincote independent New Empire Picture DE11 9DG (opposite Sharpe’s) Palace opened. For most ordinary folk in the 1930s, this building would have been their first experience of the new flamboyant Art Deco architecture with its geometric shapes and exuberant interiors. It is an excellent example of a style which swept the world. The impressive brick façade is largely

the same as when it was built with This building reflects Swadlincote’s elaborate detailing and decoration development over time. It is built on together with metal framed stained- the remains of a circular bottle kiln glass windows. Only the ground on land formerly part of Sharpe’s floor has seen significant change Pottery. with the loss of the glazed entrance It became a key showroom for the canopy and the insertion of 2 large Midland Co-Op and more recently windows. The building had 716 housed an Auto seats and is one of the most shop before being dominant buildings on West Street, restored as part of ironically opposite the Church Swadlincote which had some initial reservations Townscape about having a cinema opposite a Heritage Scheme place of worship.

. The Cinema closed in the early 1960’s and has been used for various businesses since. S6. New Empire Cinema 21 West St, DE11 9DG P (The Lounge Bar) In December 1912, The Empire Picture Palace opened, presenting ‘Pictures & Varieties’ to a hall seating 500 people. It was the second cinema to appear in the town—the first was a canvas tent on fields behind the block of shops including Poundstretcher today. By 1931 the original building had

S7. John Avery / The Bear P S8. The Nag’s Head 17 West St, DE11 9DG 1 West Street, DE11 9DG (now flats) (now Dean & Smedley Pharmacy)

Photo: Eric & Olwen Hardy

John Avery was born in 1927 at the Bear Inn, Swadlincote, which was managed by his parents. He served The Nag’s Head was a large public as a Bevin Boy (as a welder at house which opened in Oct 1883 Colliery) during the and stood here until the 1960s. The second world war, before working football caps worn by Ben at the Empire Cinema and the Warren, the first husband of the Majestic Cinema in Swadlincote in landlady Mrs Hall, were displayed the 1950’s. In 1974 he was behind the bar. appointed general manager of the London Palladium, where he There are recollections of the worked until his retirement in 1992. being packed to capacity, especially on nights when big He died on May 11 2016, T dance bands attended the Rink. aged 89. h See also “Out of the Dark— The Magic Attic Archives e Swadlincote stories” p63. have film footage of John at L o the Majestic Cinema. n d o n

p a l l a d i u m

S9a Swadlincote L P Every Tuesday for around 100 Market Hall years, a petty Crimes Court was held ‘’under the clock’’. The clock The Delph, Swadlincote and DE11 0AH 1905

motto are said to have inspired

Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders to write her song ‘Time the Avenger’, which was included in the Pretender’s 1984 album Also known as Swadlincote Town ’Learning to Crawl’. Hall, the Market Hall was built in 1861 from money raised by public C. 1920 subscription. Below the clock face is the motto ‘Time the Avenger’, which was included at the insistence of Sir Henry Des Voeux and his wife Sophia, who contributed £44 to pay for the clock. At the time that Henry Des Voeux was approached for the money, he was embroiled in a bitter lawsuit with some negative publicity and S9b Sherwood Foresters P insisted that time would avenge The Delph, Swadlincote him, or prove him right—hence his DE11 OAH choice of motto. The February 1863 Advertiser (in the Magic Attic Photos provided by Archives) has more information. Royal British Legion There have been several changes to the ground floor frontage over time and to suit local needs. The The Sherwood Foresters area under the hall has been used (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire to store fire hoses as well as for Regiment) were formed in 1881 shops and market stalls. and are an important part of Swadlincote’s heritage. Richard Holden was an armourer As part of the 5th Battalion of the from Swadlincote. He was Sherwood Foresters, H Company apprenticed to a London armourer paraded regularly on the in 1658 and was working in his Delph. The Regiment had links own right from 1665 as a member with almost every family in town of The Armourers Company. through their service in the first or From 1673 he was supplying second world wars. munition armour to the Board of Ordnance and by 1681 he had They remained a separate become the armourer responsible regiment until 1970 when they for Royal commissions. were merged with the Worcestershire Regiment. He died in 1709, one of the last of the London armour makers. Since 2007 they have been part of the 2nd battalion of the Mercian

Regiment.

S11 Anne Beverley (nee McDonald) Sid Vicious' mum

S10 Richard Holden The Delph, Swadlincote P (actual location unknown) The mother of ‘Sid Vicious’ from the Sex Pistols band had a Photo: turbulent life. Royal Armouries She died of an overdose in 1996 at her home in Hastings Road, Swadlincote. There is a mystery surrounding her son’s ashes—apparently she used to pace around with them on High Street and rumour has it they may have spilled out on to the Delph!

S9a. Market Hall S6. New S7. John S8. The S10 Richard S11. Anne Beverley Empire Cinema Avery/ Nags Head S9b. Sherwood Holden (Sid Vicious’ Mum) & Theatre The Bear 1 West St Foresters The Delph The Delph 21 West St. 17 West St. The Delph

S5. Old Midland Civic Way Co-op Store Bus 26 West Street Library Station

S4. Diana, Road Midland Princess of Wales, Memorial Garden Corner of The West/Grove St. Delph

S3. Original

Magic Attic West Street The Snooker Hall St. Grove 42-44 Grove St.

Leisure Grove/ Centre Apex

West Street

Bank Passage

S2. Edmund Sharpe Sharpe’s Pottery

Museum Alexandra Road Alexandra S1. Majestic Cinema Majestic Place Rink Drive

= stairs

Swadlincote Town Centre Trail S22. Alexandra Rink Bank Passage Approx Scale: 100metres / 109 yards S12. Sabine’s S11. Anne Beverley Foundry S13. Helen S14. Waterfield’s S15. Original (Sid Vicious’ Mum) Belmont St. Allingham Tea Room Salt Brothers The Delph 7 High St. 17 High Street Store 26a High St.

S16.Paramount Cars 50 High Street

Civic Way Belmont Street S17. Foresters Arms 67 High Street

High Street

S18. Joe Bank Passage Jackson Vicarage Rd. Church Street Morrison’s

Odeon Chimney

S19. Hill Street Baptist Church The Pipeworks

S20. Swadlincote’s S22. Alexandra Rink S21. Sanitary Ware Mining Heritage Bank Passage The Pipeworks The Pipeworks S12. Sabine’s Foundry S13. Helen Allingham P Sabine’s Foundry was on 7 High St, Swadlincote DE118J Belmont Street, Swadlincote DE11 8JZ (opposite the British Legion) Photo: Wikipedia

Helen Mary Elizabeth Paterson

(Allingham) was born here on 26 Sabine’s Munitions works, Belmont St, during the September, 1848. She was the Second World War (1939-45) eldest of seven children born to

Alexander Henry Paterson, a rural Sabine and his brother were doctor, and Mary Chance Herford. blacksmiths who lived in She became known for her Swadlincote in the early 1800s. watercolour paintings of the Amongst other things, they countryside, flower gardens, her invented the extrusion machine for children and especially picturesque making sockets on the ends of clay old country cottages. pipes. This was used by the pipe Helen made her living selling manufacturer, Thomas Wragg, with illustrations for magazines, which great success as it meant sections enabled her to support her young of pipe could be joined together family when her husband died. more easily. In 1896 she was the first female Part of Sabine’s Foundry, which member to be elected to the Royal made munitions during the first Society of Watercolours. world war, remain on Belmont St. Helen’s decorative paintings were Sabine Brothers (Engineering) Ltd very popular and sometimes used are still based in Swadlincote. Mr to decorate products like chocolate Tim Sabine is the 5th generation of boxes and biscuit cartons. The the family to run the firm. originals are now collectors’ items.

S14. Waterfield‘s Bakery S15. The original Salt P 15-17 High Street Brothers Stores Swadlincote DE11 8JE 26a High Street, DE11 8HY (one of several Salts properties Joseph and on High Street) his son Joseph Harold (known as Harold) developed a large and successful bakery, confectionary J Harold Waterfield— and one of his

cakes (photo and text: Caroline and catering Moore) business In the 1890s, brothers Enoch, which won national awards. Joseph and Hezekiah Salt opened Joseph started the business in their first shop in Swadlincote, on 1895/6 at premises on Alexandra the High Street. Eventually, this Rd in Swadlincote (where Harold extended to three stores which was born). The original bakery is included a haberdashery and now the menswear shop. By the late 1920’s Tea they had added a hardware store. Rooms Golden on They also had stores in Moira, High St Dragon takeaway. Newhall and Alvaston. Salt Brothers The bakery finally closed all their Swadlincote had moved shops in 1982, after almost a to Church century of trading. Gresley by Today’s ‘Salts’ shop name is a 1911. tribute to one of Swadlincote’s favourite brands. When he took over the business, Harold expanded into Swadlincote town centre. He ran tea rooms on High Street where Boots The Chemist is today. He also opened shops in Burton and Ashby. Photos and information from Caroline Moore (Joseph’s grand daughter)

S16. Paramount Cars S17. Foresters Arms P 50 High Street, DE11 8HS 67 High Street, Swadlincote, (now Clark’s/ Ladbroke’s) DE11 8JA

This British company produced the The Pub may have taken its name Paramount automobile between from the Foresters ‘Friendly 1948 and 1956. Founded by WA Society’. The Society was Hudson and S Underwood from established in Lancashire in 1834 Derbyshire, the company and offered ‘penny’ insurance manufactured some of its cars in schemes – aiming to support Swadlincote. You can still see part working men and their families as of the workshop behind Ladbroke’s, they ‘’walked through the forest of and the showroom was in the area life’’. now occupied by Clarks’ shoes. Some work was also carried out in all one of the workshops behind around the Art Pottery. Some of the joinery for country are the cars was done in Melbourne and named after production moved there. Fewer than it. 10 cars were actually made in Celebrating Swadlincote—further production the took place in Leighton Buzzard presence of (Camden Motors) a Foresters Public

House in Swadlincote is a nice link with The National

Forest: visit Swadlincote Woodlands, Rosliston Forestry Centre or Conkers to find out more about The National Forest and enjoy a walk in the woods.

S18. Joe Jackson S19. Hill Street Baptist Church Joe’s Gran’s house was on 16, Hill Street, DE11 8HL Vicarage Road DE11 8LG (near junction of Civic Way / Church St)

Photo

Joejackson.com Founded in 1867, Hill Street Baptist Church has been home to a growing . group of Christians for nearly 150 years. Since its establishment, the

building has been extended and modernised. The spectacular pipe organ inside this church is the main Born in in 1954, reason for its inclusion here and Joe Jackson lived on Coronation musicians and music lovers are Street, Newhall as a child and spent welcomed for a varied programme a lot of time at his granny’s at of musical performances. Vicarage Road, Swadlincote. During the second world war He later moved to New York and several aerial mines were dropped became well known as a singer/ in this area and one landed in a clay songwriter. His first hit “Is she really hole behind the church. All the going out with him?” made him an windows were blown out and the overnight success in 1979. glass was replaced with all kinds of He has recorded 19 studio albums second-hand pieces—a real and received five Grammy Award patchwork job. Some fragments of nominations during his career to the mine are stored at The Magic date. Attic . In his biography ‘A Cure for Gravity’ there are several references to

Swadlincote including ‘’this Photo: from Steve Mansfield shows Steve unearthly landscape still haunts playing the famous me’’ (p3/4). organ at Hill St You can find out more about Joe’s career and performances at: http://joejackson.com/

S20.Swadlincote’s Mining L S21. Sanitary Ware Heritage The Pipeworks, DE11 9AA The Pipeworks, DE11 9AA

The mining of is first recorded for this area in February 1293 (The Phillipps Charters) but it was not until the Many local potteries, including Industrial Wragg’s & Woodward’s and Revolution, with its Sharpe’s, made this area famous increased demand for the production of sanitary ware for fuel, that it became a major local & associated pipework. During the industry. Many collieries were 1850s, for public health reasons, established in the area, of which the sanitary ware market expanded these are a few: Granville Colliery and the local clay was ideal for the (1823), Church Gresley (1829), production of pipes, sinks and Stanton (1854), Bretby (1855), toilets. Gresley Wood (1856), Cadley Hill Sharpe’s patented their new ‘rim (1861), flush’ toilet and exported sanitary Netherseal (1872), and Coton Park ware around the world for over 100 and Linton Colliery (1875) By the years. Its water closets were time the industry was nationalised considered status symbols in in 1947, 6,600 men were employed Russia! in local mines. The last pit, Cadley Wragg’s, the other big local pottery, Hill, closed on Friday 25th March also produced vast quantities of 1988 – this marked the end of deep pipes suitable for sewerage and coal mining in , drainage which were exported although open cast mining internationally. The Wragg’s factory continued for some years after that. site (previously known as John

Hunt’s, then Woodward’s, then Wragg’s and Woodward’s) is marked by the tall chimney, originally one of many, which could be seen from most of the Swadlincote area

S22. Alexandra Rink P Rink Drive Swadlincote DE11 8JL By 1917 Ernie Hall had started giving dancing lessons there. (Now DCC Youth Information) Known as ’’The Law of The Floor’’, Ernie went on to run the Rink for many years, until the mid 1950’s. The venue attracted many US and UK acts over the years including Victor Sylvester, Joe Loss, The Searchers, Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps, Black Eric Delaney, the Honey Combs, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The Rink drew its final audience in The Alexandra Rink was opened in the 1980’s and in 1991 it burnt 1909 as a skating rink by Ben down shortly before it was due to Robinson with the words “Our rink be demolished. is efficiently heated, our floor is a pleasure to fall on”. The surface of the floor was Canadian sugar maple wood, recognised as one of the best surfaces for roller skating.

By 1913 part of the Rink building had been partitioned off to become the ‘Alexandra Palace of Varieties’, showing films and variety acts. For a short time it even had its own film studio, Albion Film Co. The main room was still being used for roller skating and in later years also Audio clip/ more info offered dancing, boxing, wrestling, http://www.landshapes.org/ newsandevents/news/ bingo. WalkaroundWestStreet4.php

If you require this information in large print or another language please ring 01283 595795 or email [email protected]

Swadlincote Heritage Trail Acknowledgements: Thank you to everyone involved in this project especially: The Magic Attic (Graham, Keith, Ron, Clyde, John) for their research and resources and for looking for the best sites to put plaques! Stuart Haywood, Dot Morson, Jeffrey Parrans, & Stephanie Neild for research. Many other people who sent information about individual people and industries, particularly T.G.Green’s and Bretby Art Pottery.

The App has been designed by staff and students from Burton and South Derbyshire College

Our logo has been designed with ideas from: Elsie-Mae O’Neill, Jazzmyn Moore, Barnaby Morley, Maisie Richardson, Ned Scragg, Tia Power and Polly Budworth.

Trail content, final logo, design and layout: South Derbyshire District Council (SDDC) June 2018

Finally a big thankyou to our funders: East Airport, Heritage Lottery Fund, Derbyshire County Council and South Derbyshire District Council

For local heritage info & events contact The Magic Attic, based at Sharpe’s Pottery Museum www.MagicAttic.org.uk For heritage trail school activities contact the Environmental Education Project team: 01283 535039 or email: [email protected]

The Magic Attic @Roslistonenved Swadlincote Townscape Heritage Scheme

Also available in Swadlincote Town Centre: Regular events and walks at: Sharpe’s Pottery Museum, Swadlincote Library, local parks and on The Delph Traditional Market Days: Tues, Fri, Sat

For information about local events go to: Swadlincote Tourist Information Centre Sharpe’s Pottery Museum, West St, Swadlincote DE11 9DG 01283 222848 [email protected] www.south-derbys.gov.uk/swadlincotetic (and on Facebook)